Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1887-03-10
NEW CASTLE BAR MEETING


/ HN- -
Yesterday afternoon week the follow
| ing members OF the State judiciary
and the New CASTLE county bar gath
cred in the general sessions chamber of
| the county court house to take action in
regard 10 the death Of Judge Wootten
Judge 1. O. Grpbb, William O. Spruanoe,
Benjamin Nields, Levi o. Bird, George
H. Bates, Anthony Higgins, Edward G.
Bradford, Alexander B. Cooper, Henry
Il. dupont, Lewih O. Yandegrift, s. Rod
mond Smith, James L. Vallandigham,
Samuel A. Macallister, Austin Harrington,
Harry Emmona, j. Frank Ball, Thomas
Davis, Henry O. Turner, John Biggs,
Willard Hall Porter, FL. H. Ward, Joseph
A. Richardson, Charles NJ. Curtis, George
A. Elliott, Tilghman Johnston, Walter H.
Hayes, William Fl. Lyman, Henry O.
Conrad, Walter Bacon, Robert O. Fraim,
Frank n. Hoffecker, George Fl. Brown,
Lilburne Chandler. Frank Walker, viii
liam Prickett and John X. Bradford,
comprising almost all the members of the
county bar.
George a. Bates, Esq, arose and said
'iThis neating mas been called at the sug-
| gestion Of several of the members of the
bar for the purpose OF taking action in
1 IL
Mr.. Bates then moved that Judge Grub
take the chair, when Anthony Higgins,
Esq.,, added the motion that Austin Har-
rington, Esq., act as secretary. Mr.. Bates
then said: ''Mr. Chairman, In accord
ance with our usual custom upon such
occasions as the present ] move that
committee of five be appointed to draft
| suitable resolutions in respect to the
memory of Judge Wootten." !" The follow.
ing gentlemen were appointed by the
chair: George II. Bates, Levi O. Bird,
William O. Spruanoe, Benjamin Nields
and Alexander B. Cooper, who reported
the following resolutions
The bar OF New Castle county having
heard with sorrow Of the death OF the
Honorable Edward Wootten, one of the
| associate judges OF our courts, and deslr-
| ing to put on record an expression of our
estimate of his personal and judicial char
acter do resolve:
That we recognize in this event the loss
| which has befallen the State In the termina-
| tion OF an honorable and judicial career
| extending over the exceptionable term OF
| nearly forty years, throughout which the
| honor OF the State has been worrhily main
tained and the judicial office ably and i'm
| partially administered.
That we record our slncere testimony to
bis ability as an expounder Of the law, his
tmpariality as q magistrate, holding even
| the scales OF Justice between suitors, his
correct apprehension of the true line Of
demarcation between the functions of judge
| and jury, his courteous recognition of the
reciprocal rights and duties OF court and
counsel, his admirable social qualities
which made him the agreeable companion
OF both old and young, his we'll balanced
temper which manifested itself in his
habitually calm and unruffled demeanor
| both on the bench and In social life, his
| fidelity to the principles underlying the
system Of laws under which We live, and
bis kind and gentle consideration for the
feelings of others.
That these resolutions duly signed by the
chairman and attested by the Secretary be
communicated to his family and also fur
nished for publication.
That committees be appointed by the
chairman to present copies OF these resolu-
lions to the several courts In this State at
| the ensuing terms thereof.
That as further mark of our respect we
will attend the funeral in a body.
In moving the adoption of the resolu-
tions George H. Bates, Esq, paid fitting
tribute to the career OF the dead iurist
After reciting briefythe most noteworthy
incidents of his life, Mr.. Bates con-
tinued: "His career as lawyer having
been ended forty years ago, must rest, so
far as our estimate is concerned, largely
/ upon tradition, and it is sufficient to re-
cord now the Judgment of his coutrmpu-
ssriss; les, thss be Ess s ebi lsar2ed layer
doing his duty 10 his clients and CON
tributing, as such lawyer may, to the |
orderly administration of Justice, in the
language of the oath which we have all |
taken, by behaving himself with all good |
fidelity, as we'll to the court as to the |
clients, and using no falsehood nor
delaying any, persons cause through |
lucre or malice. OF Judge |
Wootten's career at the bar as of |
many other lawyers, little moro can
be said. Fortunately, for his future fame, |
however, he was called to that station |
which alone renders il possible for o |
lawyer to leave behind him an enduring |
monument of his capacities. From the |
time of his appointment until the day of |
his death the history Of his judicial life |
is contained in the reports OF bur State |
courts, and upon the judgment of judges |
and lawyers entered upon that record his |
friends may be content 10 rest his name |
and fame. The newspaper notices Of his |
appointment indicate the popular esti. |
mate of his ability az the bar. The |
Delaudre Journal. the Wing paper of that |
day, speaks of him as Tan excellent |
lawyer and in every way calculated TO |
discharge the duties Of the bench" and |
adds that it is the ''best appointment that |
could be made under the present State |
administration, and we are willing to |
give 1t credit for the selection This in |
that day of aorid political feeling |
was strong communication. The Delal0dre |
Gazette of September Oath, 1847, the DEM |
ocratic organ, said: SIT has seldom, il |
ever, fallen TO our lot TO record an ap- |
pointment which has produced such uni |
versal appreciation, as has been spon- |
taneously exhibited in this case, as well |
on the part of political foes as that of |
friends. The amiable character and gen. |
tlemanly manners, as well as the legal |
requirements and high standing of Judge |
Wootten, will, we doubt not, render him |
as popular on the bench as he was at the |
bar, Such is the bare record, so far as |
dates are concerned, of an unexceptionally |
long life whose close we are suddenly |
called to mourn. The greater part of his |
maturer years was given entirely TO the |
service of his native State. Beyond Del |
aware, Judge Wootten was scarcely
known. In Delawarehe will be reyerently |
remembered for 40 years of faithful |
public service. Hardly any of us remem-
DdI Wueu uo ChIno 10 tne Dencn. 10 none Il
of us will it seem the same without that |
commanding presence, that calm aspect, |
his patient bearing, and balanced judg- |
ment. In missing them from time to |
time we shall The more greatly |
mourn, and thus our loss, though now
acute, will be chiefly manifested in re- |
membrance then. It is no mean eulogy |
to say of any judge simply this That he |
in no way derogated from the traditions |
and renown of the bench of Delaware. As
from.timel to time we meet upon these
occasions of sorrow, it might seem to a
stranger that we vauuted this too much, |
and in complacent self esteem forgot our |
sorrow, but in this lies our hope, our in |
citement, our security for the future. The |
more we justly honor the worthy prede- /
cessor, the more we may trust the untried |
successor. As example. then, encourage |
ment and hope, we look back again and |
say proudly that the bench of Delaware
has been stainless, able, unbiased and |
fearless, and that this man who now
awaits the solemn service of the tomb,
was in every way worthy the record made |
by his predecessors. 1t is hardly neces
sary in this presence TO attempt enumera-
tion of the exoellencies of Edward Woot-
tens judicial character. If you needed |
that should suggest them; II is impos- |
sible for me as / think of him, lying cold |
and hfeless awaiting his burial, to enter |
into any calm Analysis of his mental 1
characteristics There arises before me
the well-known form which a week |
l. =. =